Dietary intake of patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Comparison between the presence and absence of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

Objective
The objective of this study was to assess the food intake of individuals with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, compare it with daily nutritional recommendations, and analyze whether diet correlates with the presence of Metabolic Syndrome and disease severity, because studies about the food habits of these individuals are still scarce in the literature.

Methods
Initially, this study assessed 158 patients diagnosed with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Laboratory tests, liver biopsy, anthropometric data, and food intake (determined by the three-day food record) were analyzed. Some study patients had already received dietary advice, so the sample was divided into two groups, one “without dietary advice” and another “with dietary advice”. The Student’s t-test compared the means between the groups at a significance level of 5% (α≤0.05).

Results
Of the initial sample, 59 patients changed their diet significantly after receiving dietary advice, so they were excluded from the analysis. The other 99 patients consumed 26% more energy and 80% more saturated fatty acids than recommended and presented low intake of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, fibers, and vitamin E, confirming previous studies in this same population. However, the diets of these patients did not differ significantly by presence or absence of Metabolic Syndrome or Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Conclusion
In light of current knowledge, these data suggest that diet, especially when high in saturated fatty acids and low in fiber and antioxidant vitamins, can play an important role in the onset of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, but other factors play a more important role in its progression to Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.